Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Ottawa's Crown Jewel - the Central Experimental Farm

The Central Experimental Farm is a National Historic Site of Canada, but that will not protect the Farm from encroachment by housing developers, or a light rail project.
Fort York in Toronto is also a National Historic Site, but that did not prevent the construction of "The Condos of Fort York". I doubt that "The Condos of The Plains of Abraham" will ever be built, because Quebecers are proud of their history, and they fight to preserve their heritage. The Americans thwarted an attempt by Wal-Mart to build a store near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia.
I find it disrespectful, that Celine Dion, Paul McCartney and Elton John were permitted to perform at the Plains of Abraham. People should not be singing and dancing on a battlefield where soldiers fought, and were killed or wounded. The Americans would never permit outdoor concerts on the grounds of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Bull Run or the Battle of Vicksburg.

A relatively new housing subdivision called "Central Park" was built on former Experimental Farm land; street names include Trump Avenue, Manhattan Crescent, Gotham Private, Central Park Drive, Staten Way, Gramercy Park, Bloomingdale Street and Fordham Private: "Order-in-Council: February 25, 1988 - Surplus Crown Assets Act - Sale to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa of a surplus parcel of vacant land (37.63 ha.) forming part of the Central Experimental Farm, which is situated on the west side of Merivale Road, north of Baseline Road, in the City of Ottawa, Ontario.
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﻿﻿ Liberal Agriculture Ministers Bud Olson and Eugene Whelan refused to sell any Farm land to real estate entities. In 1975, it was suggested that 700 acres of the farm be sold for a 7,000 unit housing development:

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A 1975 Ottawa Journal article about the proposed sale of 700 acres of CEF land for a housing project. (Click on image to see large version).

﻿﻿﻿﻿ ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ The Experimental Farm is public land, and it should stay in the public realm---for Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, community colleges, etc.; a moderate-sized public medical centre (perhaps a walk-in clinic, a hospice or a holistic care lodge); a farmers' market... See "ANNEX 2", suggestions for the use of buildings and land at the Central Experimental Farm, from the document "INTERIM REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM OTTAWA -MAY 1998":﻿﻿